Växjö

Växjö (Swedish pronunciation: [vɛkːɧøː]) is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 55,600 inhabitants in 2005. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 56,000, out of a municipal total of 80,000 inhabitants. The town is home to Växjö University. The city's name is believed to be construct... more

Växjö (Swedish pronunciation: [vɛkːɧøː]) is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 55,600 inhabitants in 2005. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 56,000, out of a municipal total of 80,000 inhabitants. The town is home to Växjö University. The city's name is believed to be constructed by the words "väg" (road) and "sjö" (lake), meaning the road over the frozen Växjö Lake that farmers took in the winter to get to the marketplace that later became the city. Växjö received its city charter in 1342, but was an important market and commercial centre already at the pass of the first millennium. In the twelfth century the construction of Växjö Cathedral was begun and hence Växjö grew to become an important religious centre in the Diocese of Växjö. The city arms displays Saint Sigfrid, a national saint, wearing the traditional... less